


Smacking the Bone Down

by spilladrop4orpheus



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 04:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21155939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spilladrop4orpheus/pseuds/spilladrop4orpheus
Summary: There's a very specific reason why Hades is so bad at dominoes...and she's sitting right in front of him.





	Smacking the Bone Down

**Author's Note:**

> Smacking the bone down - slang used for the first initial set of a tile to start the layout in a round or game of dominoes.
> 
> This little idea just wouldn't leave me alone. Inspired by the gifs of Hades and Persephone playing dominoes and the interview where Amber talks about how Patrick doesn't really know how to play but he thinks he does. 
> 
> I know about as much as Hades when it comes to dominoes, but I looked up some terms and I hope I didn't mess things up completely. I particularly liked the phrase "Smacking the bone down" and thought it was a fitting title.
> 
> No beta reader so if it's not good, that's all on me.

“Ha! Poison Ivy. Fitting, don’t ya think?” Persephone placed her aptly nicknamed 3-3 domino tile on the table in triumph, smiling at the frown on Hades’ face as he looked at the tableau in front of them. She always thought it was cute the way his brows furrowed when he was trying, and in this case failing, to figure something out. “I’m gonna win,” she taunted. “Again!”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” His eyes scanned his remaining tiles before picking up the piece he wanted to play. “I still have moves to make.”

Her laughter echoed through the courtyard below and Hades reveled in the sound. It was good to hear her truly laugh again, even if it was at his expense.

“There’s no way you can beat me. I know you got that box of teeth and I already cut the sixes.”

Hades’ eyes traveled from his tiles to his wife, but the look of utter confusion remained. “You go on about chicken feet and boneyards. Now you’re talking about teeth in a box. Sometimes I swear you’re just making all this up as you go.”

The exasperated sigh she let out in response did not go unnoticed by Hades. As much as she enjoyed winning, she was bored without a worthy opponent to play.

“Box of Teeth is what they call that 6-6 tile you have somewhere in your hand.” She gestured to the collection of unplayed dominoes laid out in front of him. “It’s also called Boxcars which probably suits you better. Doesn’t matter what you call it though, because you won’t be able to play it.”

He looked at the tile currently in his hand and scowled, setting it back down. As he took his time trying to figure out a move he could make, a rhythmic tapping sound distracted him. His eyes traveled to the source, one well-manicured nail impatiently tapping on a domino tile.

Any concentration he may have had for the game was gone. As he stared hypnotically at the tapping nail, he was hit with a distant memory of Persephone running that very nail up and down his back. He looked up to her face that was resting against her hand. It was obvious that she was getting impatient with him, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. She wasn’t even trying and she still had him absolutely mesmerized. This...this is why he always lost at dominoes.

“You gonna play or just stare at me?” She finally asked, breaking him from his thoughts.

“Can’t I do both?” He flashed a charming smile her way, but it didn’t seem to have its intended effect.

“Apparently not.”

His face fell. Persephone had a competitive streak a country mile wide and she didn’t let anything get between her and winning, particularly when it came to dominoes. Hades could tell she was looking to claim her victory soon as her annoyance with his playing, or lack thereof, grew.

“How are you are so bad at this? Children play this game.”

“I do just fine.”

“We’ve been playing for ages and I can’t recall you ever winning.”

He had won once or twice, but he sure wasn’t about to bring it up. It had been during her heavy drinking days and he wasn’t looking to start a fight, not about her drinking anyway. No, if they were gonna get into it, and they both seemed to be itching to, he’d see that it wasn’t over anything important. Nothing with consequences. Those kinds of fighting days were behind them as they worked on their relationship. They were on much better terms now, but they were still them and fighting is something they did well. As Hades recalled though, they were pretty good at making up too. He was comfortable enough with their progress to put that to the test.

“Well, I think you cheat.” Yeah, he was looking to start something.

“I do not! You just don’t know all the rules. At first, I thought you were trying to be a gentleman and let me win, but no, you’re just really bad at this. I’ve even tried to let you win before and you still manage to lose.”

“I blame the teacher.”

“I’m the one who taught you how to play!”

“Exactly!”

She may be better at dominoes, but Hades was skilled at taking a situation and making it work in his favor. He had figured out how he wanted this game to turn out, and he had begun to set all the right tiles, so to speak.

“Oh, I can’t wait to hear this.” She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “Please explain how this is my fault.”

“Do you remember the first time we played?”

“Vaguely. That was a long time ago.”

“It was. But I remember it.” He leaned forward over the table. “Vividly.”

“You’d think you’d remember the rules then.” She muttered as she picked up her fan and flicked her wrist at a rapid pace.

“I wasn’t paying attention to your dumb rules.”

“Well, what was it that was just so interesting then?” She almost sounded offended.

“I’ll tell you.” He sat back in his chair and took a slow sip of his whiskey before continuing. “Your mother was out so we were sitting on your porch. It was a hot day. Hotter than most and you had on this little scrap of a dress. It was downright scandalous at the time.”

“Excuse me?” She hit the table in front of her with her fan, knocking a few tiles over. “I’ll have you know I am a respectable lady.”

He smiled at her outburst from over his whiskey glass before finishing what was left. He set the glass down on the floor next to his chair.

“Least I was anyway.” She gave him a wink. “And it wasn’t that small, as I recall.”

“It was and it damn near drove me crazy! Now keep in mind this was before we figured out we were meant for each other.”

Leaning forward, she pointed her fan at him. “For the record, I always knew. You were the stubborn old fool who took his damn time coming to conclusions I had reached well before.”

“Lover, who’s telling this story? Now I can’t keep going if you’re gonna keep interrupting me.”

“Sorry.” Her hands came up in defense.

He waited a beat to make sure she was finished before he started again. “So it was a very hot day.”

“You said that already.” She gave him a devious smile, knowing full well what she was doing.

Gods, he loved this infuriating woman. He narrowed his eyes at her interruption but continued. “The sun was shining down on you just so and I could see all of the adorable little freckles on your shoulders. The warm breeze was blowing through those curls you know I love so much. Your skin was glowing with just the slightest sheen of perspiration. You had this little spot of dirt right here under your chin.” He pointed to a spot just to under his jaw.

“I did not!”

“You most certainly did. You also had a small leaf stuck in your hair, and damn if you weren’t just the prettiest thing I had ever seen. Took every ounce of self-control I had not to clear the table and lay you on it.”

“Hmm.” She took a sip of her wine and tilted her glass to him. “Probably shoulda.”

He reached over and took the wine from her hand, setting it on the floor next to his abandoned whiskey glass.

She gave him a questioning look but didn’t say anything.

He worried she might think he was trying to tell her she’s had enough, but really he was looking to avoid the glass being collateral damage in the next few minutes. Picking up broken shards was not how he wanted to spend the rest of the evening. No, he had something else in mind.

“Well, as you said, you’re a respectable lady. But how’s a man supposed to concentrate on a game when a beautiful woman is sitting right across from him looking as good as…” He paused, giving her a once over from across the small table, trying to be as obvious as possible so she’d get the message. “Well, as good as you look right now?”

Persephone couldn’t help but smile at his compliment, both past, and present. She wasn’t gonna let him off that easy for not paying attention though. “And you didn’t think to ask me to explain the game again?”

He shrugged. “I was trying to impress you.”

One of her eyebrows shot up at him. “By losing?”

“I thought I could figure it out on my own. It wasn’t a great idea, I’ll admit, but it turned out just fine. I got you, didn’t I?”

“Oh yes, because I married you for your terrible domino skills. Whew! Nothing gets me hotter than a man who can’t tell double zeroes from the back of a bone.”

“See, I have no idea what you just said.”

“Mmm.” Persephone fanned herself with exaggerated movements and narrowed her eyes at him. “So hot.” She replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Well then, you better hold on to your stockings because this next move is about to blow your mind.”

“All right then. Let’s see what you got, lover. Wow me.”

It was a challenge. One he had every intention of meeting with a move he knew she wouldn’t see coming.

He picked up a tile and stood over the table like he was going to place the piece. He shifted his gaze to Persephone, the intensity of it catching her off guard. One corner of his mouth turned up in a cocky smile.

She had just started to realize he was interested in a different kind of activity that was definitely not dominoes when he cleared the table with one sweep of his hand.

Before the domino tiles could hit the floor, Hades had one arm around Persephone, lifting her on to the table. Her shriek drowned out the clatter of the tiles hitting the balcony.

“Hey! I was about to win!” She protested, but couldn’t help the laughter that escaped her.

Hades leaned down until they were eye to eye, and he placed his hands on either side of her. “No. I’m pretty sure I’m about to win.”

She broke into a huge grin and gave him an approving nod. “Well played.”

“Thank you. I did learn from the best.”

Her arms made their way around his neck pulling his face closer to hers. “How about we call it a tie?” She offered.

Hades chuckled. “Deal.” He replied before wrapping his arms around her and closing the short distance between their lips.


End file.
